Universal ink cartridge



Nov. 24, 1959 H. M. SEARS UNIVERSAL my CARTRIDGE Filed April 16, 1956 JYAQTLEY M) 550 95,

INVENTOR. BY a? 14iraems'x r 2,914,027 -Patented Nov. 24, 1959 UNIVERSAL INK CARTRIDGE Hartley M. Sears, Pasadena, Calif., assivnor to The Hartley Company, Pasadena, Calif., a corporation of California This invention relates to an adjustable ink cartridge means for a writing implement such as a ball point pen. The invention relatesmore particularly to a cartridge means adjustable in operative length for universal adaptation and use in housings for ball point pens of various construction and length.

In exemplary writing implements of ball point pen type, a housing is provided at one end with an opening for projection therethrough of a Writing tip on an ink cartridge and with an internal shoulder to seat a spring for resiliently and yieldably supporting the cartridge Within the housing. At the other end of the housing is provided a suitable projecting-retracting mechanism which is cooperably associated with the adjacent end of the cartridge so that the cartridge may be projected into writing position and retracted into inoperative position. Housings of diiferent manufacture and even of the same manufacture may vary in construction with respect to the operative cartridge space as measured between opening in the housing for the writing tip and the opposed contact face of the projecting-retracting mechanism. If the cartridge which is supported therebetween is of improper length, it will not be supported within the housing to position the writingtip in proper manner for writing. For example, the writing tip, ifthe cartridge length is too long for the space provided within the housing, may project too great a distance beyond the end of the housing and thereby create a condition which may result in breakage or bending of the tip. If the space in the housing is too long for the cartridge, then the Writing tip will not be projected from the end of the housing a distance sufficient for use as a writing implement.

Cartridges for ball point pens are replaceable and heretofore it has been necessary to purchase a cartridge ofthe same manufacture as that of the pen in order that the cartridge fit properly. This invention contemplates an adjustable universal ink cartridge means for ball point pens which may be made to operatively fit within housings of ball point pens made by various manufacturers. This invention contemplates such an adjustable universal cartridge means which is not only adjustable in operative length so as. to precisely fit in the cartridge space in the housing, but which also includes means adjustable with respect to the length of biasing spring used in different housings to support the cartridge.

The primary object of this invention therefore is to disclose and provide an adjustable universal ink cartridge means for use with writing implements of ball point pen type. An object of this invention is to disclose and provide an ink cartridge means which may be readily adjusted to a selected operative length.

Another object of this invention is to disclose and provide an ink cartridge means which includes adjustment means for positioning a cartridge on a biasing spring in a housing for ball point pens.

Another object of this invention is to disclose and provide an adjustable cartridge means for ball point pens wherein a sleeve member is provided with engagement means (resilient fingers) adapted to cooperate with longitudinally extending engagement means (helical indentation) provided on a cartridge body whereby the sleeve member may be ensleeved over the cartridge body a selected distance to provide a desired overall length of cartridge means as measured between the end of the sleeve member and the writing tip of the cartridge body.

Another object of this invention is to disclose and provide a sleeve member for such an adjustable cartridge means which is readily clamped in selected position on a cartridge body.

A more specific object of this invention is to disclose an adjustable cartridge means including a cartridge body provided with an external helical indentation over which 7 is ensleeved a sleeve member provided with resilient fingers adapted to engage said helical indentation and wherein means are provided for clamping said sleeve member and resilient fingers in selected position on the cartridge body.

Many other objects and advantages of this invention will be readily apparent from the following description of the drawings in which exemplary embodiments of the invention are shown.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a cartridge means embodying this invention, only a fragmentary section of a pen housing being shown.

Fig. 2 is a transverse section taken in the plane indicated by line II--II of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a transverse section taken in the plane indicated by line IIIIII of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional viewof a cartridge means embodying a modification of this invention.

In the example shown in Fig. 1, only a fragment of a housing 10 of a writing implement such as a ball point pen is shown. Housing 10 includes an opening 11 at one end through which a writing tip 12 of a cartridge means 14 embodying this invention may be projected and retracted. Above opening 11 an internal shoulder 15 may be'provided on said housing, said shoulder 15 serving as a seat for one end of a cartridge supporting and biasing spring 16. Operative cartridge space within the housing is indicated by D and may be measured from opening 11 to the opposed face 17 of a projecting-retracting mechanism 18 carried by housing 10. It is understood that space D varies in housings of ball point pens of various manufacture. Operative length of a cartridge is meant to include the distance between the ball end of a writing tip 12 and that part of the other end of the cartridge which cooperates with the projecting-retracting mechanism to provide proper projected and retracted position of the writing tip.

The adjustable universal cartridge means 14 may comprise a hollow elongated tubular cartridge body 20 having an upper normally open end 21 and a lower end 22 receiving therein the writing tip 12 in well known manner. Tip 12 has a rotatable ball 23 mounted therein in Well known manner. Ink is carried within the cartridge body in fluid communication with ball 23.

The cartridge body 20 has acylindrical wall 24 having an external surface provided with engagement means comprising a continuous helical indentation or groove 25. Helical groove 25 may be formed in any suitable manner with a selected helical angle. helical groove 25 may extend longitudinally for the entire length of the cartridge body 20. The length of the cartridge body 20 and tip 12 is normally less than the space D of the shortest pen housing for which the cartridge means is intended.

. A sleeve member 27 may be ensleeved overthetupper In this example,

3 end 21 of the cartridge body and may be provided with a longitudinally extending slot 28. Slot 28 may extend for the entire length of the sleeve member. The lower end 29 of the sleeve member may be provided with engagement means comprising a furcation which termi-' nates in a pair of diametrically opposite resilient fingers 30. Fingers 30 may be bent outwardly and then inwardly to engage the cartridge body under resilient pressure at their extremities and within the helicalgroove 25. The sleeve member may be selectively longitudinally positioned in telescopic relation over the upper end of the cartridge body as by turning the sleeve member relative thereto until the upper end edge 31 of the sleeve member is in selected spaced relation to the writing tip to provide an operative cartridge length correlated to the operative cartridge space D in the housing.

Means to secure and clamp saidsleeve member on said cartridge body to maintain the operative preselected length of the cartridge means may include a clamping collar or ferrule 32 slidably positioned on the external surface of the sleeve member. The ferrule 32 may have an inner diameter slightly less than the outer diameter of the longitudinally slotted sleeve member so as to contract said sleeve member in the vicinity of the ferrule. When the ferrule 32 is in clamping position at the lower end 29 of the sleeve member, contraction of the furcation on the sleeve member causes relisient fingers 30 to tightly pressure engage the cartridge body within helical groove 25 to frictionally resist relative longitudinal movement of the cartridge body and the sleeve member. During adjustment of the sleeve member on the cartridge body, ferrule 32 may be slidably positioned over the upper end portion of the sleeve member so as to relieve pressure engagement of the resilient fingers to facilitate relative longitudinal movement of the sleeve member over the cartridge body.

Stop means for longitudinally adjustably positioning the relationship of the cartridge means with respect to the cartridge biasing spring 16 may include an open ended spring clip 34 which may be positioned transversely of the cartridge body to provide a top seat for spring 16. Spring clip 34 may include a pair of opposed arm elements 35 integrally interconnected as at 36. Intermediate ends of each element 35 may be provided a central curved portion 37 provided with inwardly directed projections 38 engaging the helical groove 25, said central portion 37 being adapted to frictionally grasp the external surface of cartridge body 20. The clip 34 may be applied to the cartridge body by spreading apart element 35 and snapping the clip over the cartridge body at a selected distance from the writing tip. End portions of elements 35 extend transversely beyond the cartridge body a sufficient distance to provide the top seat for spring 16.

It is understood projecting and retracting mechanisms may vary with ball point pens of different manufacture. Within the top end of sleeve member 27 is illustrated an exemplary adapter 39 which may be inserted for cooperative action with certain projecting-retracting mechanisms of ball point pens of particular manufacture. Adapter 39 may include a depending portion 40 received within the top open end of sleeve member 27, said de pending portion defining a downwardly facing annular shoulder 41 which may seat on the top end edge of the sleeve member. The top face 42 of the adapter may provide a contact surface for an actuating element of a projecting-retracting mechanism. It is understood with some projecting-retracting mechanisms the top end portion of the sleeve member may provide a suitable surface for cooperative action with the actuating element of such a mechanism.

It will be noted that when an adapter 39 is used, the slotted sleeve member 27 provides communication to atmosphere for ink held within the cartridge body so as to allow fiow of said ink to the ball of the writing tip.

Thus for adapters which may require a top surface 42, the slotted sleeve member readily provides a construction which not only provides communication to atmos phere but also provides a simple effective readily adjustable sleeve member on the cartridge body.

Adjustment of the cartridge means of this invention to a housing of selected manufacture may be accomplished in the following manner. The clamping means comprising ferrule 32 may be slidably positioned toward the upper end of the sleeve 27 so as to relieve pressure engagement of resilient fingers 30 with the cartridge body 20. The sleeve member 27 may then be longitudinally adjustably positioned on the cartridge body as by turning so as to cause the resilient fingers 30 to move longitudinally of the cartridge body as by a threading movement in the helical groove. The operative length of the cartridge means may be tested by inserting the cartridge means in the housing. Once the operative length is determined, the clamping ferrule 32 may be moved into clamping position whereby the resilient fingers are tightly frictionally engaged with the cartridge body within the helical groove 25. Clip 34 may then be snapped on the cartridge body at a selected position determined by the length of the cartridge-biasing spring 16 and the position of the bottom seat for said spring in said housing. It will thus be readily understood by those skilled in the art that the adjustable universal ink cartridge means disclosed above may be quickly and readily adjusted to housings of different length. If the cartridge being replaced is available, the length of the cartridge and position of the spring clip 34 may be adjusted to proper position by matching the old and new cartridge.

in the modification shown in Fig. 4, the construction of the cartridge means 14 differs only in that the lower end portion 22 of the cartridge body 20 is not provided with a helical groove 25 or with a clip 34 to provide a stop means and a top seat for the cartridge-biasing spring. The lower portion of the cartridge body may be crimped in well known manner as at 45 so as to provide a top seat for a biasing spring. The crimping at 45 is made at a selected distance from the writing tip in order to accommodate cartridge-biasing springs of normal length.

It will be understood by those skilled in the art that while a helical indentation is shown for providing an engagement means on the cartridge body for interengagement with resilient fingers on a sleeve member to permit adjustable longitudinal relative positioning thereof, other engagement means may be employed for permitting relative positioning of the sleeve member and the cartridge body. It is understood that a continuousinwardly turned curl at the end of the sleeve may serve to frictionally engage the helical groove. Similarly, other stop means may be employed in order to provide a top seat for a cartridge-biasing spring.

All changes and modifications coming within the scope of the appended claims are embraced thereby.

I claim:

1. An adjustable universal ink cartridge means for ball point pens of differing housing lengths and constructions comprising: a tubular cartridge having an upper normally open end and a lower end adapted to receive a writing tip, said cartridge being provided with a wall whose external surface includes a continuous helical indentation; a sleeve surrounding the upper end of the cartridge, the lower end of the sleeve being bifurcated and terminating in a pair of resilient fingers adapted to engage the helical indentation, said sleeve being adjustably longitudinally positionable on said cartridge to increase the operative length thereof and adapt said cartridge to housings of different length; means for clamping said sleeve in desired position on said cartridge; a longitudinally adjustably positionable stop means carried by the cartridge below the sleeve, said stop means extending transversely beyond the cartridge; and means carried by the upper end of the sleeve for cooperation with projecting-retracting mechanism of a housing.

2. An adjustable universal ink cartridge means 'for ball point pens of differing housing lengths and constructions comprising: a tubular cartridge having an upper normally open end and a lower end adapted to receive a writing tip, said cartridge being provided with a wall whose external surface includes a continuous helical indentation; a sleeve surrounding the upper end of the cartridge, the lower end of the sleeve being bifurcated and terminating in a pair of resilient fingers adapted to engage the helical indentation, said sleeve being adjustably longitudinally positionable on said cartridge to increase the operative length thereof and adapt said cartridge to housings of different length; means for clamping said sleeve in desired position on said cartridge; and a longitudinally adjustably positionable stop means carried by the cartridge below the sleeve, said stop means extending transversely beyond the cartridge.

3. An adjustable universal ink cartridge means for ball point pens of dilfering housing lengths and constructions comprising: a tubular cartridge having an upper normally open end and a lower end adapted to receive a writing tip, said cartridge being provided with a wall whose external surface includes a continuous helical indentation; a sleeve surrounding the upper end of the cartridge, the lower end of the sleeve being bifurcated and terminating in a pair of resilient fingers adapted to engage the helical indentation, said sleeve being adjustably longitudinally positionable on said cartridge to increase the operative length thereof and adapt said cartridge to housings of different length; means for clamping said sleeve in desired position on said cartridge; and laterally extending stop means on said cartridge.

4. A universal ink cartridge assembly adjustable to vary operative length for ball point pens having housings of different length comprising: a tubular cartridge adapted to receive a Writing tip at one end, said cartridge being provided with external engagement means extending longitudinally thereof; a laterally expandable sleeve member ensleeved over and carried by the upper end of the cartridge for rotation relative thereto and provided with engagement means releasably engaging the cartridge engagement means, said sleeve member being adjustably longitudinally positionable along said cartridge with said cartridge and sleeve engagement means in engagement to modify the aggregate length of sleeve and cartridge; and means carried by the sleeve member to contract a portion of the sleeve member on the cartridge in a selected position to frictionally restrain relative longitudinal movement between the cartridge and the sleeve member.

5. An ink cartridge means of readily variable aggregate length for ball point pens having housings of difierent length comprising: a tubular cartridge adapted to carry a writing tip at one end and being open at the other end, said cartridge being provided with longitudinally helically arranged engagement means spaced from said writing tip and extending toward the open end; a laterally expandable and contractable sleeve member carried by the cartridge provided with engagement means to engage the cartridge engagement means for adjustably varying the aggregate length of the cartridge and sleeve member as measured between the writing tip and the end of the "sleeve member distal from said writing tip; and means movable relative to the sleeve member for contracting a portion of the sleeve member for clamping said engagement means on said cartridge and on said sleeve member to position the sleeve member in a selected position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,565,556 Gruber Aug. 28, 1951 2,565,601 Fischer Aug. 28, 1951 2,603,186 Fischer July 15, 1952 2,693,171 Lanoie Nov. 2, 1954 2,753,843 Lane July 10, 1956 2,803,219 Stoeberl Aug. 20, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS 629,240 Great Britain Sept. 15', 1949 976,412 France Oct. 25, 1950 1,020,495 France Nov. 19, 1952 481,996 Italy June 17, 1953 

